I look for information that is useful, inspirational, informative, motivational, awe-inspiring, educational—anything that is good “brain food,” and I blog it here for all who are interested. Occasionally, I blog about something from my own knowledge or experience.

It is my hope that you will enjoy and be able to use most of what is here.

If you’d like, post a comment and let me know what you think.

~ Joyce Fields

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Many of my experiences and lessons learned have been captured in the books that I have written. Read the previews and reviews and order at www.GoodShortBooks.com.

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TODAY’S QUOTE

YOU AIN’T SO SLICK THAT YOU CAINT STAND ANOTHER GREASIN’ ~ Henrietta Jackson (my late “Aint Yetty”)

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TODAY’S BLOG

My 11-year-old granddaughter, Mekkah, has done me proud in the kitchen! February 22 was her step-father, Jerome’s, birthday, and she prepared dinner for him and her mother, Teresa. Like her father (my son, Mkonto), Mekkah loves to cook and is starting even earlier than I did. I was 12 years old.

About 15 years ago, at the urging of my two oldest granddaughters, Tee and Dee Dee, I (painstakingly!) wrote down 21 of my recipes and included them in my first book, Line of Serenity. I made a “Grandma J’s Recipe Book” (a three-ring binder with each recipe in a sheet protector) for all three of them.

They all loooove my cooking. Mekkah says I have “magic hands” and used my recipes for the meal she prepared for Jerome: Chili, Corn Bread, and Aint Yetty’s Pound Cake. She added a tossed salad. This is the second or third time she’s made the pound cake, and she really does an excellent job with it!

She called me after they ate and said that it was a total success; they thought it was deeeelicious! She was so proud! And I am very proud of her!! She wants to go to culinary school to become a professional chef! And she’s a straight-A, 7th grade student!

In case you’re interested, here are the recipes. The chili is my own recipe; the corn bread recipe is from the back of the Clabber Girl Baking Powder can; the pound cake recipe has been in my family for over 50 years—given to us by my mother’s sister (Aint Yetty). What’s amazing about the cake is that it requires no liquid or baking powder or baking soda.

JJ’s CHILI

1-1/2 lbs. hamburger

1 large onion, diced

1 large green pepper, diced

3 or 4 garlic cloves, chopped or 1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 cup worchestershire sauce

1 16 oz. can tomato sauce

1 16 oz. can diced tomatoes

1 8 oz. can tomato paste

2 medium or large cans chili beans (mild or hot)

1/3 cup ketchup

2 Tbsp honey or sugar

Lawry’s seasoned salt and pepper to taste

Chili powder (start with 2 Tbsp)

1 or 2 Tbsp oil

Heat oil in large skillet or pot. Over medium heat, sauté onion and green pepper for about four or five minutes, stirring frequently.

Add tomato paste. Fill empty tomato paste can with cold water and add to meat mixture.

Add all other ingredients. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for about ten

minutes. Taste. Cover and simmer for another ten minutes.

CORN BREAD

Preheat oven to 425°

1 cup yellow corn meal

1 cup flour

¼ cup sugar

½ tsp salt

4 tsp baking powder

1 egg

1 cup milk

¼ cup oil

Grease 8-inch square pan or baking dish.

Mix all dry ingredients in medium or large bowl. Add egg, milk, and oil. Beat well until smooth, about 1-2 minutes.

Pour into pan or dish and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Butter the top while bread is piping hot.

AINT YETTY’S POUND CAKE

Preheat oven to 350°

3 cups flour

1 tsp salt

6 eggs

1 box (1 lb.) powdered sugar

4 sticks (1 lb.) butter, softened

2 Tbsp pure lemon extract (or any flavor desired)

Grease and flour 10” tube or bundt pan.

In large bowl, cream butter. Add sugar gradually. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix flour and salt together. Gradually add flour/salt mixture, beating well after each addition. Add flavor. Beat about two minutes, then pour into pan.

Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Let stand in pan for ten minutes, then gently shake loose and remove from pan. Cool completely before slicing.

~ Joyce Fields

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About Line of Serenity (Joyce Fields)

As a thought leader for today's generation, I choose to be part of the solution and am doing things that positively impact people's lives.
In addition to being a happy, married (since 1967!) woman, sister, aunt, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, I have over 40 years' experience in "Corporate America": Stenographer, Secretary, Supervisor, Analyst, Office Manager, Executive Assistant. I am also a professional proofreader and the author of 10 books (mostly non-fiction)--http://www.GoodShortBooks.com).